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Why settle for good enough when you can have better. Everyone wants something more. The grass is greener right? There’s nothing wrong with wanting more, the problem is how we obtain more. Do we go about it wisely or do we act on impulse. Are we searching to fill an emptiness inside us causing harm along the way?

The easiest and best way to better is through Jesus. Guys, there is nothing wrong with wanting more, just keep Jesus in the center of it all. We wrapped up a series called “Cause It’s Better.” One of the things my pastor said was “you have to let go of the good to get to the better.” That is so good!!! Do yourself a favor and listen.

Some of you may be thinking, I already have better (job, spouse, kids, house, money, car…) so why do I need Jesus? Good question, I’ll tell you: BECAUSE HE’S BETTER!!!!!

Here are some examples of what Jesus does:

He turns happy to joyful. Heartbroken to whole. Searching to answers. Lost to found. Hurt to healed. Weary to rest. Angry to loving. Grudges to forgiving. Selfish to selfless. Broke to generous. Fear to conqueror. Weak to strong. Scared to courageous. Unloved to bride. Orphan to daughter. Pain to strength.

I will tell you from personal experience, Jesus turned my unforgiving heart to forgiving, allowing me to tear down the walls I built up and have a relationship with the person that hurt me most. I have also conquered the way irrational fear has crippled me. Don’t get me wrong, the devil knows fear is the way to get me, but I have learned, when I feel the fear creeping in, I stand on God’s word. I speak truth over my heart and situation and I stay strong.

The best thing about Jesus is His gift is free. All we have to do is accept it. We have to realize we are a hot mess without Him and then let Him in and allow Him to do what only He can do.

We have become a society enslaved to technology and social media, therefore, I declare it’s time to unplug!

Yes, I realize you are reading this on a PC, laptop, a phone or some sort of iThingy, so please wait till you’re done reading to go unplugged. I am guilty of this so this isn’t a blog where I point my finger at everyone else and tell you how bad you are. No, I am guilty as well.

Summer vacation is over in 2 weeks (let me tell you this Stay Home Mom is eagerly counting down the days till first day of school.) My 7.5 year old daughter has been reading her booty off and winning prizes at the local library. Her last prize was a coupon for a free kid’s meal at, well I’m not sure I can say the name. Lets just say they have the BEST Southwestern Egg-rolls and back in 2002 N’Sync did a commercial singing about baby back ribs…you’re welcome. 😉

It’s been a while since we ate there and I was shocked to see they had touch screens on the table to read the menu and pay your bill. My daughter noticed they had games for $.99 on there as well. She asked if she could play one. Sorry sweetie, no. But I can’t just say no. I had to give her a 5 minute lecture about how that’s one of the problems with our society today. People are addicted to technology and we can’t even sit and eat with our family without have some kind of device in our hand stealing our attention. I told her dinner is a perfect time for us all to sit together and talk. Then my husband chimed in and told her “you’re welcome for having such good parents that love you and want to talk to you.” She just looked at me like, actually she wasn’t looking at me, she was blankly staring at something over my head.

I looked around at several of the tables and kids were playing on the touch screen and parents were on their own phones and no one was talking. No sharing of stories. No laughing. No pouring out of one’s soul. No dreaming for the future. Nothing. This made me sad. Sad for the kids who were missing out on learning from their parents. Sad for the parents missing out on what’s going on in their teen-age daughter’s life.

Now, I’m gonna be honest right now. We also had our 15 month old daughter who was being vocal in a not so cute way and I would have GLADLY paid someone $.99 to come and entertain her.

I realize the appeal of technology. I understand that technology and quiet kids go hand in hand. I know that when I allow my daughter to play games on my phone I have 30 minutes of quiet time. That’s right, I said my phone. She doesn’t have a phone or a Kindle or an iPad of her own and I limit her time playing games on mine.

I’m not judging you as a parent if your kids have their own technological devices. There is nothing wrong with that. All I’m saying is lets unplug for a while. Parents, sit down and talk with your kids. Ask them how their day was and when they say “good” don’t just take that as an acceptable answer. Ask them why it was good. Ask them open ended questions and allow them to ask you questions. Kids are like a sponge and when you pour time into them, they respond.

Happy talking!

Thanks for allowing me to share my world with you…welcome to my brain!

I have fought the world of technology for years now. I hate change. I hate learning how to operate a new stuff and I hate having to pay the bill for the fancy new stuff I have no idea how to use.

I refused to text for years; why pay for texting when I can just call? When I told a friend I have “exciting news” she was sure I was pregnant. Nope, I got texting. I have been friends with her for years and I can count on 1 hand the number of times we have actually called each other. I have 2 groups of friends, those that I call and those that I text. If one of my texting friends calls me I know I’m being butt dialed.

I had a trusty LG Slider cell phone for years. We enjoyed the best of times and cried together for the worst of times. This phone was there for me man. I hated to see it gradually get old. First it was pictures. I could no longer post pics to Facebook. Then the space bar started to stick. Then the “a” and “n” buttons crapped out so I would punch it 8 times and then 8 “n”s would show up and I’d have to go and delete them.

Brandn’s iPhone started messing up as well so it was time for us both to upgrade. My husband talked me into getting an iPhone 5s. I was hesitant and said it was dumb but now I must eat my words. I am a stay home mom who spends my days with a 4 month old and a 6.5 year old so I feel the whole world NEEDS to see their cuteness at all times. So before we left the Apple Store, I set up and Instagram account. We went camping for Labor Day and I knew my people would not rest until they saw pics of our loaded up truck, tent, grill, breakfast, kids, mud, naps and trees….you’re welcome people!

I also have a new guilty pleasure; my Kindle!! I have talked a lot of smack about digital books and said I prefer to read paper so I can hi-lite (I am a hi-liting fool.) I know you can hi-lite in a Kindle but I haven’t figured out how to do that yet, remember I said I hated learning how to use new stuff? Well, in the last 3 weeks I have devoured 2 books by women who have escaped the FLDS community The Witness Wore Red and Triumph:Life After the Cult and this morning I started Forgotten God. I have always enjoyed reading but now I like it even more. I wake up in the middle of the night to feed the baby and then I have to pump. I can sit on the couch and read without turning on any lights; I feel like I’m getting away with something #badtothebone #hardcore #whatelseamisupposedtodowhilehookeduptoamilkmachine

So here goes, words being eaten: dear iPhone and Kindle, I’m sorry. You have changed my life forever and I’m so glad I gave you a chance.

Thanks for allowing me to share my world with you…welcome to my brain.